As the bus rumbles along a Tokyo thruway, passengers steal a fleeting glance at the Olympic rings floating on a barge in the bay, Tokyo, Japan, July 11, 2021.

Colorful shop signs that dot the Kabukicho entertainment district pass by in a blur, July 16, 2021.

The Tokyo Tower glows, if only briefly, July 15, 2021.

The pandemic-delayed 2020 Summer Olympics are days away from starting and thousands of athletes, officials and media are descending on a Tokyo under a state of emergency because of surging COVID-19 cases.

A torii gate stands at the entrance to a shrine, July 14, 2021.

For many of the visitors under strict protective protocols, the only way to get a glimpse of this unique capital city is from a vehicle, whisking the sporting guests from athlete village or hotel to venue.

Commuters sit in a bus ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics, July 16, 2021.

AP photographer Jae C. Hong spent hours riding Olympic buses, trying to get a feel for Tokyo as the Games in a bubble ramp up.

A bus driver is reflected in the mirror, July 13, 2021.

For the Japanese, life goes on with little indication a massive sporting event is about to begin.

Motorists drive along a spiral ramp onto the Rainbow Bridge, July 13, 2021.

Streets of masked workers.

A couple steals a private moment at a subway station, mask to mask.

Fishermen stand in their boats in a moat.

An elderly woman seeking relief from the heat walks with a small towel on her head.

A police officer walks under cooling mist sprays while on patrol.

The view from the bus forces a separation from subject, the bustle of the city is silenced by the closed windows.

Hua Zhang, of the China Media Group, wears protective goggles while riding a media bus ahead the Olympics, July 14, 2021.

Yet, over time, if one really looks, a connection is formed with this sprawling metropolis that is a mix of modern and tradition.

The skyline of Tokyo is seen through a bus window from the Rainbow Bridge, July 14, 2021.

A man rides his bike near the athlete's village for the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, July 15, 2021.

A protective plastic cover is installed in a shuttle bus to help curb the spread of COVID-19 prior to the Olympics Sunday, July 11, 2021.

A taxi driver wears a white glove ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics, July 13, 2021.

A police officer, (R), patrols near the entrance to the athlete's village for the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, July 15, 2021.

People walk near a pachinko parlor, July 13, 2021.